"Miss Morgan, may I ask to have a different card because the one that you usually use seems to have a problem.?"
The manager is just a lowly employee. He won't be informed of something that hasn't hit the news. It's the reason why he was asking her politely about her card that was declined. He knew that it was no problem. They knew exactly what was the problem and that her card was declined.
However, she still felt nervous that a small bead of sweat started to form at the back of her neck but she kept the immaculate smile on her lips. "That's very kind of you. Can you give me a few minutes to call my father's secretary? I didn't bring any other cards with me."
She wanted to congratulate herself for keeping her voice steady when deep inside she was shaking. She once saw a customer who couldn't pay and was thrown out in a restaurant when she was young while her family was vacationing in Bali. The thought of that happening with her, in the company of her friends was enough for her to have a panic attack.
"Please, take your time, Miss Morgan."
The manager bowed down lightly and stepped away from her to give her privacy to make her call. She quickly pulled her phone and sent a code of distress to her father before making a call. The code of distress was a private code that she and her parents only knew. They taught her to have specific words or sometimes numbers to send if she was in a difficult situation or if she felt she was in danger.
She never thought that she would use the distress code in a situation like this. A declined credit card is unheard of for her. Her hands were shaking when she dialed her father's number.
"Lilly Rose! What happened?"
She grimaced in disgust when her father called her full name. "Daddy, my card got declined. I'm paying for my friends," she whined at her father. She bit her lower lip, keeping the tears at bay. A part of her understood why her card was declined but she just can't wrap her head around it. She doesn't know anything about business but how could they be poor overnight?
She just had her extravagant and lavish debut party that was the talk of the town. Her father's empire was still standing. She and her friends even went shopping there, for god's sake!
"Daddy?" She called in a hushed tone, glancing furtively at the manager from the shiny surface of the tall silver flower vase full of fresh red roses in front of her. Her anxiety was slowly rising when her father didn't talk on the other line. She would really faint if her father would tell her that they could not pay the bill.
"Lilly sweetheart, we need to talk. Come straight home, will you, sweetheart?"
She sobbed. "Dad…"
"Listen, Lilly. Daddy is really sorry for doing this to you but…please, listen to me, okay?"
"Okay, daddy…but how about the bill? How will I pay for it?" She groaned, panicking.
"I–I'll have someone take care of it. I'll call the restaurant. Daddy will take care of it."
"Thanks, Dad," she said, stifling a sob.
The manager who was discreetly watching the scene from a distance understood the situation clearly. The young miss and her friends are their loyal patrons. And the way the young miss's shoulders shake as she calls her father, told him that the young girl's credit card was declined because of some kind of punishment. This young generation has no idea of how money should be spent. She and her friends ordered enough food to feed a family of ten but they didn't even eat a quarter of them. He shook his head in disappointment.
"Kids," he muttered under his breath, plastering a polite business smile on his face when the young miss walked towards him.
"Miss Morgan, I'd say the mistake was solved?"
She nodded. "Yes, thank you. My father will contact you." She said with a shaky smile. She couldn't believe that she had to go through that traumatizing event just because of a restaurant bill. Doesn't matter if the bill was a month's salary of a normal employee. She had no idea of how much people earned anyway. She only knows how to swipe the credit card that her daddy pays. She doesn't even touch physical money if not totally needed because why would she?
The manager offered to walk her back to her friends who were waiting for her. The table was already cleared and packed. And Tiffany was fighting with a young waitress.
"What happened?" She asked in bewilderment.
"This incompetent employee or yours packed our leftover food when we didn't ask for it." She snapped at the manager.
"Really, Tiff?"
"Shut up, Sue!"
"Please, lower your voices. People are already looking at us." Lilly looked at the young waitress who was about to cry. "It's okay," she said with a smile when their eyes met. "You did well."
"Did well? Are you nuts?" Tiffany threw her an angry glance. "What's so good with what she did? Does she know us?"
"Probably not, Tiffany. And everyone will know who you are if you don't sit down and lower your voice. We are already getting a lot of attention."
"Yes, Tiffany, sit down." Susan pursed her lips in annoyance.
Tiffany, who just realized that the other patrons were all looking at them finally settled down. But not after glaring at the young waitress. "I'm sure you'll do something with this employee of yours…mister…" She tilted her chin, speaking to the manager who was rendered speechless because he wasn't given the opportunity to talk in between the drama of packed leftover food.
"Hao. My name is Hao." The manager bowed down apologetically.
"Mister Hao," Lilly called the attention of the manager. "We will take the packed leftover food, thank you."
"Why?!"
Tiffany who already settled down glowered at Lilly. "You do not take those trash in my car!" She declared with disgust for food that was barely untouched.
"We take them because we could give them to someone who will want them."
"Do what you want!" She snapped at her. "But I won't let you bring them in my car. Discussion over!" She folded her arms. Her chin was still up in the air as if she was daring anyone to challenge her decision.
Lilly looked at Susan in exasperation but the other girl was still sulking because Tiffany told her to shut up.
"I'll take them!"
A cheerful voice broke the tension at their table. All heads turn to the newcomer. He was wearing a neatly pressed black suit, his hair was combed backward and he was wearing a gold rim spectacle over his kind eyes. He was about fifty and had the aura of everyone's favorite uncle.
"And who are you?" Tiffany was the first one to speak in a snippy voice.
"My name is Willian Gallard. Your father sent me." He answered Tiffany's question but his eyes were on Lilly.
"Oh!" She stood up. "Thank you for coming." She smiled at the old man before looking at her friends. "Uhm, I forgot to bring my wallet…so…uhm, my father sent his…uhm…secretary to pay for our bill." She fumbled with her lies.
Susan glared at Tiffany who just rolled her eyes at her.
"You guys can wait for me outside—"
Tiffany didn't have to wait for her to finish her words. She grabbed her purse and stormed out of the restaurant. Susan excused herself and went to the bathroom to fix her makeup.
When it was just her and Mr, Gallard at the table she said. "You aren't one of my father's secretaries, Mr. Gallard."
"No, Miss Morgan. I am Mr. Grayson's secretary."
Her face turned pale when she heard her future husband's name.